Chapter 3: 003 Xue Qiandai

After her mother passed away from illness, Concubine Lu, who had given birth to two sons for her father, was elevated to the position of primary wife. Due to Grandmother and her father, Lady Lu did not dare to mistreat the sisters openly; however, behind their backs, she withheld their monthly allowance and indulged the servants in neglecting them, causing them much suffering.

A few days ago, the third young miss, Xue Qiandai, born of Lady Lu, received a rare gold filigree hairpin inlaid with a red cat's-eye stone in the shape of a peacock spreading its tail from Lady Lu. Seeing it, Xue Qiange looked on with envy and longing. Xue Qiandai smiled and said she would lend it to her to wear for a day.

Unlike Lady Lu, Xue Qiandai was usually very close to the sisters, so Xue Qiange did not think much of it. After expressing her gratitude, she happily took it to wear. As it turned out, Lady Lu saw her and insisted she had stolen her sister's belongings. Xue Qiandai happened to be out at the time, leaving no one to testify for her. Grandmother and her father were greatly disappointed in her, allowing Lady Lu to punish her with twenty heavy strokes of the board, beating her until she lost consciousness.

In her past life, her mind was still innocent at this time. She had not thought deeply about the matter, believing only that she was unlucky and that Lady Lu had intentionally picked a fight with her. She continued to be as close and fond of this sister as ever, never harboring any resentment toward her.

It was only after entering the capital, when Xue Qiandai helped her cousin from the Xuening Estate frame her and her sister—nearly driving them to utter ruin—that she and her sister finally saw this sister's true face.

Xue Qiandai appeared weak and kind on the outside, but in reality, she was insidious and ruthless, with an extremely deep mind. Compared to her mother, who wore everything on her face, she was many times more sophisticated!

As Qiange was thinking, the door curtain with pale yellow silver-thread floral patterns was pushed open. Xue Qianwu entered carrying a tray, using one hand to hold the curtain aside as she called out to the outside, "Third young miss, come in quickly. It's cold outside."

"Ah, thank you, Eldest Sister," a gentle response came from outside. A woman with a body as slender as a willow in the wind, an oval face, and a pair of watery, large eyes set beneath willow-leaf eyebrows walked in. Two senior maidservants followed behind her; they did not even reach out to hold the curtain, instead following their mistress through the opening Xue Qianwu had made.

A cold light flashed in Qiange's eyes. It was one thing for the two maids to see that her sister was carrying things and not offer to help, but they even dared to let her sister hold the curtain for them. Even the maids by their side showed them no respect whatsoever. It was laughable that she and her sister had failed to notice even these details, having always treated Xue Qiandai as a good sister.

"Second Sister, are you feeling any better?" Xue Qiandai glanced at Qiange, who was lying on the bed. Her already watery eyes immediately filled with a mist, looking as if she wanted to cry but did not dare to.

Qiange rested her cheek on her arm, looking at this sister from the side. Before the imperial selection in her past life, Xue Qiandai's beauty had been ruined by her cousin from the Xuening Estate, and she had been abandoned in an alleyway. Unlike her final, frantic and wretched state, her current appearance was still that of a delicate, beautiful lady of a great household.

She was wearing a pinkish-dawn colored Xiangjin襦裙 (ruqu) embroidered with a hundred butterflies among flowers, with an Ruyi cloud-patterned cloak draped over her. Her pointed chin was buried in the soft fur, and her moist eyes looked at her timidly. She truly resembled a delicate flower swaying in the wind, a beauty that inspired pity.

Being watched by Qiange in this manner, Xue Qiandai frowned inwardly. Today, Xue Qiange seemed a bit different; her gaze felt much sharper than usual, and she felt as if she were being seen through.

Impossible! She was confident that she had always hidden her intentions well; even her father and Grandmother could not see through her disguise, so how could this stupid woman possibly figure it out? Thinking this, Xue Qiandai felt reassured again, assuming that Qiange must be harboring resentment toward her because of the beating she had received today.

Xue Qiandai took two steps toward the bed, letting the mist in her eyes gather into droplets that rolled within her sockets without falling

"Second Sister, are you in pain? It is all my fault. I saw that Second Sister liked that hairpin and only wanted to make you happy, so I lent it to you. I didn't expect Mother to misunderstand you. Had I known, I wouldn't have done something so thoughtless just to please you. Second Sister, please punish me. Even if you give me twenty strokes of the board as well, I will have no grievances whatsoever."